Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board
3rd Floor, Arndale House, The Mall
Luton
LU1 2LJ
Contact
Claire Pickard
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKH21 - Luton
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.bedfordshirelutonandmiltonkeynes.icb.nhs.uk/
Buyer's address
https://www.bedfordshirelutonandmiltonkeynes.icb.nhs.uk/
one.6) Main activity
Other activity
Health
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Contract Award for Central Bedfordshire (2 Practices) Primary Care Network (PCN) Direct Enhanced Services (DES) 2023/24
Reference number
AG23510
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85121100 - General-practitioner services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
This is a voluntary ex ante transparency notice to notify of Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board's (BLMK ICB) intention to award a contract for the PCN DES 2023/24 service to cover two practice populations.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: £1,040,893
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 85100000 - Health services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKH25 - Central Bedfordshire
Main site or place of performance
Central Bedfordshire Area
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Two Central Bedfordshire GP practices have opted out of the PCN DES 2023/24 and therefore BLMK ICB must ensure delivery of the final year of the 5-year framework of the Network Contract DES.
In view of the urgent need to maintain services and consequences for patients being disadvantaged, the PCN who delivered the services in 22/23 in similar circumstances has been approached and has agreed to continue to provide DES services from 1st April 2023 until 31st March 2024 . This approach ensures the patients of the two opted out practices will have continued access to the full range of network services with minimal disruption and it meets the directions of the DES ensuring services are provided as soon as practicable.
The total available funding is £1,040,893 for the year. £597,053 of the total is dependent upon recruitment to ARRS roles.
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2.14) Additional information
The Service to which this Procurement relates fall within Schedule 3 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (the "Regulations") as amended by The Public Procurement (Amendment etc) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020, (the "Regulations").
As such, the Contracting Authority does not intend to hold itself bound by any of the Regulations, or those applicable to Schedule 3 Services.
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the cases listed below
- The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the regulations
Explanation:
BLMK CCG has awarded a twelve-month contract for the provision of PCN DES services without prior publication under Regulation 32(2) (c) of the Public Contract Regulations which states the following;
“Insofar as is strictly necessary where, for reasons of extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable by the contracting authority, as the time limits for the open or restricted procedures or competitive procedures with negotiation could not be complied with”
In terms of the circumstances, these were:
Two Central Bedfordshire Practices have opted out of the Network DES at short notice
(i) There is a necessity to ensure continuity of service to the patients of those two practices as their patients must still be able to benefit from the services provided for under the Network DES
(ii) BLMK ICB does not have the time to run a formal procurement given the immediacy of needing to ensure continuity of service
(iii) The services needed to be provided by another PCN within a reasonably close geographical location to the two practices, and that after an initial exploration of options there was no wider expression of interest.
The contract is only being awarded for a short-term period of 12 Months to align with the national Network DES (which is itself a year-on-year contract).
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No
Section five. Award of contract/concession
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
6 June 2023
five.2.2) Information about tenders
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire
Lea Vale Medical Group
Liverpool Road Health Centre, 9 Mersey Place, Luton
Luton
LU1 1HH
Telephone
+44 1582349912
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKH21 - Luton
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot/concession: £1,040,893
Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £1,040,893
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
The Contracting Authority participating in the publication of this VEAT and the award of the contract communicated herein is:
Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The High Court
The Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
Country
United Kingdom